A third explanation for the recent growth of religious movements is social change. Thus Wilson (1970) argues that periods of rapid change disrupt and undermine established norms and values, producing anomie or normlessness. In response to the uncertainty and insecurity that this creates, those who are most affected by the disruption may turn to sects as a solution.
For example, the dislocation created by the industrial revolution in Britain in the late 18th and early 19th century led to the birth of Methodism, which offered a sense of community, warmth and fellowship, clear norms and values and the promise of salvation. Methodism succeeded in recruiting large numbers of the new industrial working class.
Similarly, Bruce (1995; 1996; 2011) sees the growth of sects and cults today as a response to the social changes involved in modernisation and secularisation. In Bruce's view, society is now secularised and therefore people are less attracted to the traditional churches and strict sects, because these demand too much commitment. Instead, people now prefer cults because they are less demanding and require fewer sacrifices.
